The present invention pertains generally to crushing machines and is particularly directed to a machine for crushing metal cans so as to convert the cans into a metal ingot comprising a lamination of crushed cans.
Metal cans enjoy widespread use as beverage containers. While such cans come in various sizes and different materials, probably the most widespread can in use today is the 12-ounce aluminum beverage can. Rather than being discarded as trash, used aluminum cans may be recycled, thereby conserving aluminum. Therefore, collecting stations have been established at which used aluminum cans are collected for recycling. The used cans are usually collected in large plastic bags or cardboard containers.
Entirely a part from the matter of voluntary recycling, local laws or regulations may impose a deposit on a metal beverage container at the time that the canned beverage is sold to the customer. The container may be of any size and material. Such laws and/or regulations may promote the purposes of encouraging recycling so as to conserve on raw materials and/or the purpose of reducing litter caused by the indiscriminate discarding of used containers, which occurs where a deposit is not required. Statistics bear out the fact that where deposits are required, litter is reduced. This means that not only is the environmental quality improved, but it also means that costs associated with picking up the discarded litter, which are ultimately borne by the taxpayer, are significantly reduced. In localities having deposit containers, the typical practice is for the used containers to be returned to the selling location where the deposits are refunded. Where the selling location does a substantial amount of business, the returned cans must be collected and this has, in the case of the recycling centers, typically involved collection of the cans in large plastic bags and/or cardboard bins.
The collection of used cans according to the foregoing procedures requires very bulky containers in which the cans are collected. A greater efficiency in handling of the returned cans can be achieved if the bulk of the cans is reduced, for example by crushing.
The present invention is directed to a new and improved machine which is particularly useful in conjunction with processing of returnable cans. More specifically the invention functions to crush the metal cans and join them together in such a manner as to form a solid metal ingot comprising a lamination of crushed cans. The metal ingot itself may be delivered to the recycling location.
The invention provides a number of significant advantages. For one it is unnecessary for separate plastic bags or cardboard containers to be used to collect metal cans. Another advantage is that a considerable savings in floor space is achieved because usage of collection bins such as the cardboard containers or plastic bags becomes unnecessary. With the invention, returned cans may be crushed at the time of their return. The newly crushed cans are, during the crushing procedure, joined to a previous accumulation of crushed cans so that the continuing process of crushing cans as they are received results in a creation of the solid metal ingot consisting of the accumulation of crushed cans. The invention is also compact, and therefore will not take up nearly the amount of floor spaces which must today be devoted in a typical supermarket or beverage store for collection of returned cans.
The invention may be also used to advantage in a retail location in conjunction with automatic equipment which serves to identify the returned cans by brand so that accurate tallies of deposit refunds can be provided by the retailer to the wholesaler for reimbursement. A still further feature of the invention is that it executes a highly efficient procedure for reducing the cans into a metal ingot. Specifically the procedure involves first a reduction and compression of the cans into a generally flat condition and thereafter a piercing of the flattened crushed cans so as to join overlying cans together at the points of piercing.
The foregoing features, advantages, and benefits of the invention, along with additional ones, will be seen in the ensuing description and claims which should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention according to the best mode contemplated at the present time for carrying out the invention.